Among the little towns and villages close to Menomori, there's a small agrarian settlement called Komura. The name means 'forest village', very typical as naming convention goes. These days it's known by a slightly different name: Nekomura–or the village of cats. It all started when cats were introduced to the village as pest control. Rural communities are heavily reliant on farming and fishing to keep food on the table, and the second worst thing that can ravage a season's crop are rodents. Rodents also carry diseases, which often lead to disease outbreaks in the countryside. Killing all the mice and rats in an area isn't really a solution, so it'd be better if there was a more natural method to lower the population. Once the harvest improved, the people would be able to focus more on other jobs. But due to the limited employment opportunities, most of the young adults were working in the city or elsewhere. Instead of trying to radically change the town's infrastructure, I spent a few nights without sleep thinking up plans on how to bring in business without altering the villagers' way of life. The simplest way was tourism. Instead of having the people move to the city, there needed to be a reason for people to come to the town.

Finding something to put this place on the map wasn't easy, after all villages like Komura are a dime a dozen. The landscape was pretty standard; there were fields around the central hub of houses, and there weren't any unusual landmarks to market. Well if we can't find a reason to make this place stand out–we can just make one. And that's how I came up with the idea of a village for cats. 


A few weeks ago, a messenger ferret arrived at the Isle el Koskaan. The small furry creature immediately made a beeline for the door, and when it couldn't make it budge, it began scratching furiously. Once it was discovered, it scurried over to the first person it saw and shoved a fancy envelope made from patterned Ataiyan paper into their hands. "Special delivery!" Then in the blink of an eye, it scuttled away into the bushes. When opened, the faint scent of fresh pine and cherry blossoms would waft up from the neatly written words.

To Mr. & Mrs. Terrowin,

It is with great pleasure that we present you an all-expenses paid stay at the Nekotabi Inn in Komura. 
You have been selected as one of twenty fortunate recipients who are invited to spend a one-week retreat in the idyllic Ataiyan countryside.
To celebrate the grand re-opening of the Nekotabi Inn, all guests will be given a guided tour of the town and its greatest viewpoints.
We hope to see you soon!

At the bottom was a red-inked circular mark from a stamp with tree leaves surrounding a cat's paw print. The sender did not name themselves anywhere in the letter, but the use of a messenger ferret was an odd choice for an animal courier.

It was a strange thing for the Terrowin family to receive a letter. For the most part, anyone who wished to strike up a communication usually came by using magic. The rare few times that the people of Benin needed to renew the “tax plan”, it was done in person, and usually with Raile present. So when they received a letter, by ferret, no less, it was an odd occurrence that piqued their interest.

Lucas was the one to answer the door, and when the ferret handed him a letter addressed to the Terrowin family, he immediately brought it to his foster father, Lewis. The assassin popped it open, and handed it back to Lucas.

“Read it,” Lewis said. “It’ll be good practice.”

The young leviathan had never learned to read. Due to his fascination with stories, though, he had been putting forth a lot of effort. It took him a few tries to get the larger words, and the names confused him, but Lewis helped with those. Finally, though, he made his way to the end of the letter, and looked back at Lewis with a smile.

“So, it’s a trip then?” Lucas asked, excitedly. “And the whole family is allowed?” His thoughts were on what kind of stories that Komrua might hold, and the time he could spend exploring with Ezili and the rest of the family.

“That’s if we even decide to go,” Lewis said as he folded the letter. “A ferret gave you this letter?”

The boy nodded. “At least I think it was a ferret. I’ve never seen a real one before, but that’s what it looks like in one of the animal books I’ve been trying to read.”

Lewis sighed. He wondered if this was another one of the gods. He had lucked into Lord Raith’s domain, and had somehow found himself in Lady Angela’s twice. It was a long shot to assume this was the work of a deity, but on the off chance that it was, it would be rude to refuse.

It didn’t take long for Simone to agree to the idea of going, and within the day the family was packed and ready to leave. Simone double checked everyone’s bags to make sure they had the essentials, and Lewis took the time to make sure he had at least three daggers well hidden on his person, and then they set off.

—-

Their arrival was swift and painless, and the group found themselves in front of the Inn. Lucas was wide eyed, scanning the pleasant countryside. It was something that he had always seen from above, but he had never gotten the chance to really experience it.

Lewis, though, was looking over the Nekotabi Inn. He did his usual assassin tricks; possible exits marked, amount of people that could escape through each one, fall heights, etc. Simone gave him a look, and he rolled his eyes. Habit. You know I can’t stop it.

“Well, let’s not just stand here, I guess…” Lewis said in his almost bored tone. “Everyone in.” With Alshaya in arm, he made his way into the building.

The other Terrowin who had been lingering not too far also came near to hear what the ferret had brought. Ezili was interested in just what a ferret was but she knew she could always ask Lucas later. Simone was proud of Lucas as he read the letter out loud but even she was a bit skeptical of the good tidings.

“It would have to be someone who knows of us,” Simone came down the stairs and joined her husband. “There are very few people who know how to find us.” This wasn’t Angela’s handy work as the goddess would have shown up to deliver it personally or just sent the rainbow girl Raine.

Ezili was immediately excited once her parents had made the decision to make the trip. They could always use a family vacation and time together away from the island. For Ezili, this was her first big trip with everyone.

Simone helped the children pack and made sure to get Alshaya and Everett’s baby bags packed. It would be particularly interesting with those two since Everett was now old enough to recognize things. Alshaya was just now becoming entertained easily and giggling even. It warmed her heart a lot.

–

They arrived in the strange land and Simone watched her husband easily. I would expect something less from you. I would think something was wrong if you didn’t. There was a light laugh from her direction but when Ezili looked at her Simone motioned to something Alshaya had done. She masked their hidden conversation well as she lifted Alshaya up to see a flowering tree. The small babe latched onto the flowers with a squeal and pulled them as Simone brought her down.

There was laughter from Ezili who came over to tickle Alshaya’s nose. A little sneeze from all the pollen made Alshaya be quite done with the flowers as she let go. Fussing Simone gave her husband a look and they exchanged babies. Alshaya was ever going attached to her father for comfort and that was fine with Simone.

Mira had Fiori’s hand and Simone took Fiori’s other hand as Ezili kept by. “Come on now. We best not keep them waiting,” the mother smiled down at the small girl who was helped along. Once inside the inn keepers recognized their names from the list Shiloh had given them.

“We’ll make you right at home!” The keeper spoke to them happily as they were taken up to their rooms. Simone and Lewis had their own room where as the children were all together. Lucas and Ezili were responsible enough they felt to watch them at night. Even then they were right next door which gave Simone some comfort.

They were each helped into new clothing for their stay and even the babies were looking their best. They had also been given cat-like caps for their heads to keep them warm. Alshaya didn’t know what to think about it at first trying to pull it off. Once the cold air whipped though she stopped her fussing and just eyed Lewis with pinkish-purple eyes.


Simone found Lewis and started to chuckle, “You look funny.” Even she looked funny in her as her hair had been pulled back with a flower comb placed in it as she looked down at herself in her kimono. It wasn’t a color she would have picked but she supposed it wasn’t back.

Ezili was bounding and she found Lucas. “LOOK!” She did a little twirl in hers. Her hair had been braided with flowers and she let out a squeal and a bounce.

Fiori reached towards the basket full of ribbons on the table. They were the ribbons used to decorate hair, clothes, and the house. Every color was present in the basket and she was so close to reaching it when the news of the ferret arrived. The toddler didn't really understand what the fuss was about but before she knew it, she was picked up by a maid. Her eyes gazed longingly at the ribbons as she was taken away to Simone. Bags were being packed and she was handed her stuffed rabbit. She rubbed her face in its fluff then watched as people rushed by, busily preparing for a trip. Clutching onto the ears of her rabbit, she tried to walk out of the room but soon she was swept up in the family trip adventure.

—-

Fiori and the rest of the family stood in front of this large inn. Fiori kept a tight grasp on Mira's hand, as if she didn't want to let go. In one of the bags her rabbit was packed away so she had nothing to cling to. Instead she stuck with Mira, holding onto her sister's arm and trying to soak up all her older sister's attention. She was still warming up to her newer siblings who'd poured into the home. Lucas often stayed on his own and Ezili seemed to dote on Lucas. Alshaya was the newest and a fairly giggly playmate. But the ones most familiar to Fiori were Everett and Mira, as they had been some of the first to arrive.

Simone reached down and grabbed her free hand. Fiori's face lit up, appreciating that she had both Mira's and Simone's attention. The inside was large, though not as big as the castle back home. It was a foreign place with different smells and sounds. The new strangers guided them to their rooms and gave them new clothes. Fiori gazed at the clothing for a long while, fascinated by its colors and texture. Someone helped her get dressed in her own kimono and gave her a cat cap to keep her head warm. The kimono was a beautiful shade of purple, black, and white. The obi on her kimono was black with some red flowers that matched Fiori's eyes. The cat cap was knitted and the same shade of purple as her kimono.

After staring at her outfit for a significant amount of time, she made her way carefully to the packed bags, wanting to get her rabbit. She couldn't figure out how to open the bags, as they were buckled. Carefully standing, she began to make her way over to Lewis and Simone, knowing they would be able to get her stuffed rabbit from the packed bags. She pulled on Lewis' kimono several times, showing she needed him.

"Mimi." She said.

Mimi was the name of the black stuffed rabbit she usually carried around. When she first decided its name, she wouldn't stop shouting mimi over and over again and showing everyone her rabbit. But now she had calmed down and simply wanted her toy. Fiori looked at Lewis with her big red eyes and then yanked harder on the kimono, indicating she wanted her toy right this minute.

Despite the warm welcome and picture perfect reception, Shiloh had pulled out all the stops to revitalize Komura village. Weeks before they had done a full overhaul on construction, roads, and other miscellaneous things to make the little rural town more tourist-friendly. With her husband's help, she got a bunch of kimonos in the colors of the rainbow–accessories included. It might seem a bit much for a small event with twenty or so families, but this was a minor investment towards greater gains. First impressions would make or break the future of this place. Of course, Shiloh wouldn't be herself if she didn't attend to the event in person. The first to greet the couple and children was a girl who looked almost their age, with short straight hair. Her eyes were a gold color, and she was as lively as a cat. She quickly ushered them in, handled their room assignment with frightening efficiency, and showed them around the inn's amenities while a young man struggled to carry in their luggage. "Oh, a good choice! That color looks great on you~" The innkeeper named Mai grinned, eager to see which sets caught their fancy. "Takashi's coming in with your stuff now, I'll get the bath started so you can all freshen up before dinner! Tonight's special will be stewed vegetables with noodles and braised tofu, all local ingredients! You sure came at a great time this year–the persimmons and chestnuts are in season." 

She slinked away to get to it, poking her head back in to give one last cat-like smile before scampering away. While the owners of the Nekotabi Inn were busy, Shiloh had finished checking in on the other nineteen groups. The inn was a traditional Ataiyan-style building, a former country estate converted into a restaurant and lodging. What once were family bedrooms now housed guests, and the private garden was a public space for people to get some fresh air. The oaks and pines bordering the property made the manor look like it was pulled straight from a wall scroll ink painting, and at night the rooms had a clear view of the moonlit skies. Most of the people who were invited were selected according to a short list of various types of guests any tourist attraction should expect to have. Single travelers, young couples, large families, merchants staying while on business, and serial sightseers marked off quite a few boxes. If things went well, this little test run would provide the information needed to improve the town's service and appeal. At the end of the day, the goal was to help the village make money off of a steady source of income. 

She had never met the Terrowins before, but as to not break immersion, the deity altered her appearance to fit the image of a sharp-eyed aspiring entrepreneur from Nisshoki. Dressed in a dark blue haori with matching kimono and hakama, her hair was smoothed out into a low ponytail as she went to introduce herself. Rapping lightly on the sliding screen door, she opened it with a business-like smile. "So, how is everything? By the way, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to assist us with our little local revitalization project." She pulled out several packets of documents and began handing them out to the husband, wife, and older children. "Ah yes, before you leave we'll need you to fill these out as completely as possible. This is a comprehensive survey on your one-week stay in Komura. There's no rush, take your time. You may call me Okojo–I'll be your guide for the duration of your stay."

It took Lewis some time to dress up in the kimono, and with a little bit of help from Simone, managed to make it work. It was the farthest thing from something he felt comfortable in, but he pulled it off. Simone had chosen a dark blue kimono for the assassin, and when all was said and done, she was satisfied with her choice. As one of the owners of the establishment, presumably the one who sent the letter, introduced themselves and asked about a survey, Fiori came over and tugged on Lewis’ kimono, asking for Mimi.

“One moment,” he said with a quick smile and a head pat. He turned his attention back to Okojo, and nodded. “I appreciate your hospitality.” It was hard to discern the truth behind his words, and while he did mean it, it barely came off that way. He excused himself, and with Fiori in tow, went off to find her stuffed rabbit.

—

Lucas had already changed into his seafoam green kimono, which he had chosen because of the black embroidered dragon circling the bottom. It had reminded him a little of himself, and Ezili seemed to enjoy it. He had, of course, tucked himself away into the bathroom to change, and was extra cautious just in case Ezili had not quite learned her lesson. When he made his way back into the room, his first order of business was to flop onto the futon. He made an ‘oof’ sound as he hit, and at once he felt relaxed.

“This is so comfortable. It’s not quite like home but it’s different. I like it…” He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. The leviathan snuggled in a little more to the bed, and found himself starting to doze. It wasn’t long before he was out….


—

Lewis knelt down and within moments he produced Mimi from the bag. He handed it over to his daughter, and smirked. “Now Fiori, be careful not to lose it here. Keep it safe, okay? Now why don’t you go find Lucas or Ezili, and go explore a little?” He gave her a hug, and then stood up, returning to his and Simone’s room.

“Letting Lucas and Ezili help has been a lifesaver…I don’t think you and I could keep up with all of them if we tried…” There was a knock at the door, and Lewis sighed, opening it.

“Well looky here,” said a familiar voice. “Ain’t you just precious.”

“Of for the love of the gods…” Lewis shut the door, and turned to Simone. “Can we leave?”

Ezili bounced around waiting for Lucas to change, she had learned that popping in unexpectedly in a washroom was a bad idea. Especially when it was a boy you liked and he was terrified of women at the time. She bounced and she bounced until he finally showed up and she squealed, “It’s so cute on you!”

Ezili plopped on the futon next to him and watched him sleep with Alshaya and Everett. Everything he did amazed her. Soon though the sound of his snoozing almost made her doze off. A little nap would never hurt… Right?

–

“No, I’m pretty sure that we would lose that battle.” She chuckled a bit. “Everett, Alshaya, and Fiori keep all of us pretty much on our toes.” She came over to straighten out his kimono but tilted her head to the knock.

There was a groan from her lips as Simone heard Osiria telling them to open up. “Who invited them…” This was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. While Simone didn’t mind Osiria… It was still awkward with Rhenakos.

“No… We have to fill out this paperwork and I have a feeling they would make us owe…” She waved her hand. “We can deal with it.” Simone kissed his cheek and opened up the door. Osiria was there in a red and orange kimono with what looked like autumn leaves on it. Raile, Aaya. Leilah, and Kalina weren’t too far behind. All of them seemed to be sporting a kimono in their own colors.

“Fancy that, you guys ended up getting asked to come here?” Simone gave a smile.

“Yeah, who did you pawn your kids off on?” Osiria was rather blunt.

“It’s not pawning my kids off… Ezili and Lucas offered. They have all of them… Well Mira is doing her own thing.” She waved her hand. “Even we need a break once in a while. Who has your little hell raisers anyways,” Simone was giving them a not very amused look as Osiria had just accused them of pawning their children.

“Our mother offered to take them all,” Leilah gave a smile as they finally caught up.

“And you have the audacity to accuse me of pawning my children off?” Simone’s eyes drilled into Osiria who just held a whoops look on her face.

“Di-Did I phrase it like that? I meant… Who’s babysitting your kids! You two deserve a break!” Osiria took on a charming disposition and Simone narrowed her eyes down on her. “…I HEARD THERE’S AN OPEN BAR LET’S GO! AND HOTSPRINGS!” Osiria sensing danger from the mother phoenix started to pull Rhenakos with her. “Come on Lewis and Simone! You have to join us to relax…”

“If you insult me any more I’m going to boil you alive and pluck out your feathers,” Simone was particularly vicious when it came to her children. The thought of even pawning her children off on others because she didn’t want them was… horrible.

“Oh, you know Osiria is just bad with words. She didn’t mean it like that!” Leilah was trying to contain the situation and got between them. “Come on! We can all use some relaxation!” There was some nervous laughter. “Raile, say something please,” Leilah said in a hushed voice to him.

Fiori smiled as she received her precious Mimi and smiled. She gave her father a nod and gave him a hug before leaving to find Ezili and Lucas, like a good girl. She went to their room and noticed something interesting. Lucas was snoozing while Ezili was almost asleep. Technically, Fiori found them. But her father never said she had to stay with them. Besides, they didn't look like they wanted to play. So Fiori skipped hanging out with her siblings and began exploring on her own.

The first place she found was the kitchen. The kitchen staff were running about, trying to get orders prepared and keeping up with the new ones. Fiori stuck towards the walls and stayed far away from anything that looked dangerous until she arrived at the pantry. The pantry door was open so she walked right inside, still holding her black stuffed rabbit. The pantry was large and smelled of good things. Unfortunately, everything was taller than her! The shelves were far too high to reach. Maybe if she jumped? The toddler placed down her rabbit and began jumping. She didn't even have the strength to reach the first shelf. Thoroughly upset, the toddler snatched her rabbit and stuck her tongue at the goodies in the pantry. 

"Sour Anyway!" She insulted the produce. 

Leaving with a huff, she walked out of the kitchen and went straight towards the gardens. One of the gardeners was working on fertilizing some flowers and had left his supplies unattended. She saw a medium sized burlap bag but didn't know what to do with it yet. Then she saw the cats. The feline creatures covered the gardens, using it as a scratching post or as a place to play or even sleep. A smile spread across the toddler's face. An evil smile. If she wanted to bring home some cats for her and her siblings, maybe all she needed was a bag? Taking the bag and dragging it along with her, she approached a sleeping cat and held up the bag. 

"Get in." She commanded. 

The cat looked at her for a moment, then went back to sleep. The toddler grabbed the cat by the tail and pulled it into the bag, closing it. Now she wanted to find more cats. Preferable smaller ones, as the bag was already starting to feel heavy. Fiori dragged the bag behind her and the sounds of desperate meows filled the air but the little girl ignored them on search for more cats. 

When she was looking for volunteers that fit the main customer demographic, Shiloh learned not to be picky with what she had on hand. Naturally when it came to those things she went to Angela to ask if she could give her a short list of individuals that fit the categories the revitalized town would cater to. The Terrowins were only one out of a handful of people who were prize-winners of convenience, so Shiloh didn't bother to think if the selected participants would know each other. She had already handed the Talons their surveys, and still had a few packets waiting to be received. The last pair of guests currently were chatting with the Terrowin couple, and she didn't want to keep hanging around them like a nosy specter. "Mr. and Mrs. Raize, I will leave your surveys in your room. Please do not forget to complete them before the end of your stay. I heard it's going to be a clear night this evening, perfect for viewing the moons." Slipping away, she left them to their devices. Once she left the last two survey packets where they couldn't be missed, she heard the sound of a cat hissing. Then there were more screeching sounds, followed by pitiful meowing and complaints. Her facade of hospitality fell for a moment as her expression went cold and a corner of her mouth twitched. "What now? It's too early for something to go wrong." 

True to its nickname, 'Nekomura' Village was indeed abundant in cats. However, these weren't your run-of-the-mill strays. While surveying activities in Jayou, the deity came across a peculiar group of felines who were acting as sideshow in one of the more luxurious pleasure barges. Not only were they extremely intelligent, but they were seasoned experts when it came to customer service. It didn't take much for Shiloh to hire them all on the spot. After a few interviews, she learned that these curious cats were once employees of the previous deity of luck, who had…unique tastes. In the more superstitious areas they were bound to be seen as 'demon cats', so what better reason to have them act as the backbone of the budding tourist attraction's service industry? From the front desks to the local postal service, almost every building and street corner had a cat. For the time being she requested them to lay low, thus the meowing instead of sassy insults and expletives. But once the town was reopened proper, they were free to do as they pleased. And right now somebody was harassing her newly-acquired workforce. 

Following the chorus of angry cat sounds, Shiloh caught the culprit with bag in hand. Now if it had been an adult or an older child, confrontation would've be easy. A stern glare and serious demeanor combined with mental pressure typically would do the trick. Unfortunately this was a small child, one from the guest families no less. She had expected the parents to keep a closer watch on their kids while staying in an unfamiliar place, but that didn't happen. She had to rescue her employees while preserving that good first impression the guests had of the place. Clearing her throat, she put on a smile as she walked over to the little girl trying to haul away at least five feline service professionals. "Excuse me little miss, what are you doing with that bag?" With her hands behind her back, she began thinking of all the possible ways this interaction could go wrong. Regardless, she needed to free those cats or else nobody would be watching the street.